Field of Glory
Medieval War

Computer Game Reviews

Reviews by Jonathan Aird

These two games are FIELDS OF GLORY (MICROPROSE) and MEDIEVAL WAR. The latter is a shareware game, with some nice features, the former is a Napoleonic wargame.

FIELDS OF GLORY. This can be best described as COHORT plus. Fields of Glory covers the major engagements that make up the Waterloo campaign. There are two fictional battles to allow the player to become familiar with the game play, and the battles of Quatre Bras, Ligny, Wavre and Waterloo. This is a tactical only game (i.e. the choice of battlefield is fixed - although set-up of forces can be varied), which is perhaps a little disappointing, however the game play is quite magnificent. The appearance is of hundreds of 6mm figures marching over beautiful terrain squares. There are all the unit types one would expect, a wide range of tactical manoeuvres and control at the unit and the divisional level. The graphics are very good, units can be seen to be marching and firing, artillery units deploy and ready their guns, and the different formations of infantry - square, line, column and skirmish - are all easily recognizable. All the bad things about COHORT are gone from Fields of Glory. Units react if attacked, or if there are enemy units nearby. The computer can be given play levels from Recruit to Guard, in order to up the challenge. There are objectives to be taken and a running score can be accessed to allow the player to judge how the battle is progressing. Sound is good, even on PC Bleep (again a good sound card would be worthwhile having). If all this were not enough, the game comes with a Napoleonic data base. Each unit has a full description of fighting strength and past glories recorded, brief summaries of leaders' abilities and histories can also be called up. The manual which comes with the game includes most of the text from the Osprey Waterloo campaign book. All this for around £ 30 (and, rumor has it, soon to be reduced to budget price, around £ 16-£ 20) : recommended to anyone with even a faint interest in early 19th century wargaming.

MEDIEVAL WAR. Medieval War is a very different kettle of fish. It is a Windows only game, but this isn't really a limitation these days as all new PCs come with Windows as standard. The game creates a small set of islands with up to six competing cities. In a turn the player decides what units to build in the cities he controls, then sends unit out to find the enemy. A nice feature is that you can only see those parts of the world you've explored, and only those enemies that are within sight of your own units. There is a large number of troop varieties to choose from, all the usual HI, LC, LI etc. as well as siege equipment, galleys, fortifications etc. Graphics are fairly basic, and I personally found it hard to distinguish between the troops of different cities due to the range of colors. One city gained an advantage by having troops which blend in quite well with the "board" - but then I find that the same happens on "real" boardgames!

The game is shareware - if after trying it out you feel tempted to play on you are encouraged to send $30 to the game's author in return you'll receive a manual, an updated version of the game and more scenarios. There are a large number of shareware distributors (this copy came off the front of a magazine) who advertise in most PC magazines - especially those with a games orientation. Since it is possible to buy Fields of Glory for almost the same amount of money (and, as noted above, Fields of Glory may in fact be cheaper than this by the time this review is printed) Medieval War cannot really be recommended as a desirable purchase. The basic game soon pales after a few plays, but it is entertaining for a few hours. The only advantage it really offers is that six people can play, potentially by modem, making it a fast PBM (alliances etc. can be made by sending messages to other players in your turn - when playing against the computer there is the same opportunity to forge alliances). No doubt 1995 will see some more interesting games cross my path, and so I may have a couple more reviews to offer up in Lone Warrior later in the year. Until then - good gaming !

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